Standing on the edge of the grocery store parking lot, rain falling in drenching waves, she appeared undaunted by the conditions. I stopped and handed her a three bucks, her eyes held the look of a weary soul, a fellow human being caught up in calamitous circumstances. Ragged clothes, dirty hands, rain dripping from her chin yet a certain depth to her gaze; she nodded and said, “God Bless.” FULL ARTICLE
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With the state debt level rising daily in California, it would seem that in calfornia as well as as North carolina where i reside at the present time, the types and severity of the homeless is increasing and will sadly continue to increase. yet it will take the physical actions of you,me and everyone else to take a step back, look at the person or family that is homeless and ask ” a down to earth Will Rodgers ” type of Humanist free & open minded thinker, What should i do if anything ? Or should the question be What am I willing to do ? See in this world and nation of ours we are all taught in some form or way a concept that varies but is nothng more than the “survival of the fittest” looking out for Number 1 syndrome that you see and hear all over the sports chaannels today. And through time, life and education we forget that loving warm person our grand parents ( unless they were stalin hitler, and the like) and they’s tell you as well as show you…to love your neighbor as thyself…or as my grandmother who came here to america in the late 1880’s taught us…give till it hurts & hurts good. Meaning sacrifical giving. yes we have shelters and soup kitchens where the social lepers of our influetional societies can go, yet it’s the lost souls we pass by everyday without thinking ( because we don’t have to /you can’t make me & I have enough problems of my own thinking) as we don’t want to get involved. True, No one can put a gun to your head and say…help them or else. But when we as nation of freedom, liberty and plenty see another who has greater needs than our own and e blow by them like they were a inconvinece, then my friends, we are no better than the crooks in washington,DC, the corperate thieves who out sourced, good paying jobs to make a buck or the bottom line look even better ( greed is good remember ??) , then you wonder why and where all these people came from. And sadly, all of this could have been prevented. How you say ? By getting together with 3 people and network so that the shelters and food banks in your community have the means to provide for those who can’t. But in this world and age of me,myself and I there is no room at the inn left for anyone else is there ? But as my 22 year old grand daughter who goes to a liberal arts college told me after she took a 30,000.00 check fromme for this years college tuition, fees and etc…You’re an old guy…what do you know ? Anyone here in this forum,site, or blog, is just a plant closing,a major health disaster, or accident from become homeless…so have an attitude of graditude..and NOT “entitlement”…but you alrady knew that …didn’t you ?
Steve you make some great observations and it is a tough question but the answer is not just to acknowledge the problem but to ask ourselves what can we do? Life is a precarious journey and it is not always easy to discern the best route, but introspection and philanthropic measures always aid… Robert
it is good Sir, that you do understand the main body of this issue . Because we have seen over the last 40 years how ” introspection” has done little to help people not only we here in America but also in world bodies, such as the UN, World Council of Churches, as they pass more gas than actually solving, and putting in place programs that actually meet the needs of people without massive rolls of red tape type of regulations, and “qualifiying ” requirements..Here we sit as our Congress and Senate at the urging of the Fed,Treasury Sec.Paulson and Sen. Todd pumped billins into the caughers of wall street and banking industry , but here when it come to helping We-The People…they get selectively deaf…introspection ?? sorry sir, i have had my fill of it.
Introspection does not mean dragging your feet sir, to me they are two different concepts. If one wants complete introspection perhaps a monastery or ashram may fill the bill. But politic or citizenship duties, well there a blend is needed. What I mean is the ability to look inward and identify with your fellow man take the most philanthropic approach and actions that are thought out and not; off the cuff.
You mistook my words as some kind of pacifist indifference, but far from it sir; action is the key. Yet well thought out and reasonable action, not emotional reactionary moves. I have had my fill of that for the last eight years, or at least the illusion of that.
Perhaps you may have noticed the lack of exposed motivations, what seems rather rash may be the ultimate facade in this political climate.
yes sir Robert you are correct when you said ” ulitmate facade in this political climate”…it is sad when one sees a salvation army red kettle out every year especially at Christmas time…when and if every person rich or poor would put 3-5 dollars in one kettle …( and no not just one kettle) in most communities…the salvation Army & groups like that would have more than enough funds to help the homeless feed the por & familes…but because a majority of people have a sad & bad attitude of ” I don’t have to, and you can’t make me”…mentality…is it any wonder why charities who do use and spend 94 cents of every dollar on assistance to the needy and poor…are struggling? i was taught that charity begins at home, and if you and i were to sit back and watch people be themselves…trust me you’d see just how ” un-hospitable” some segments of america can really be in this political climate…and even sadder it will get even worse…Thanks for the input, this old street urchin learned something yet again…today !
FATHER IN HEAVEN
Father in heaven please take me away
I am hungry and may not last the day
Father in heaven take pity on the poor
Were tormented and cant cope with much more
Father in heaven may I come live with you
My rent and utilities are now overdue
Father do you not have a place for me
I plead with you on bending knees
Father in heaven shower me with peace
My miserable life now ready to cease
Father in heaven in your arms I will find rest
Society views me as something less
Father in heaven I know that you care
My treatment in life has been far from fair
Father in heaven may I but see your face
In earth no longer for the poor is there any grace
Father look your garden is gone
To heaven I journey though the trip may be long
Father in heaven to you were all the same
I would not just be an unknown name
Father May I rest upon the clouds
The voice of poverty screams so loud
Father can I just sit on the floor at your feet
Better then dying alone on the street
Father the poor are scattered throughout this land
Will you not come quickly to hold our hand?
In the next year or so, we will have probably ten to twenty million or more families that are homeless, living in the streets, begging for food to keep their families alive for one more day.
Jobs outsourced, mounting bills, mortgages foreclosed, no medical, illnesses taking their toll. This is what the Oligarchy wants, a nation of poor, homeless sick and starving people, begging them for work at any pay, begging for food.
One of these days, these people are going to get tired of standing on the curb with their hands out, watching the limos drive by en route to the next banquet for the rich and powerful. They may well kick over the traces, which is why the government created NorthCom, which is training combat brigades in handling "civil unrest."
You may have noticed the Head of the Fed telling Congress the other day that the United States needs to practice "austerity." We need to cut back on Social Security, Medicare, Aid to Education. Not a word about cutting back on some of the uncounted billion$ given to the Pentagon and the MIC for wider, deadlier wars against helpless people abroad.
No, I fear we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg that may sink this titanic empire into the cold, black, sea.
Steve I have to agree
Steve I'm trying to get my comment to stay posted. I agree with you.
Life is about choices. I could have used drugs, had many babies out of wedlock, and done a crime, that could have landed me in prison. I decided at an early age, that I wanted to work hard, get and education and take care of myself. I wanted to travel and I did, and I wanted to help the poor, and be thankful I was not one of them.
We need to look at Singapore for the blueprint of running a wonderful society. We do not have to reinvent the wheel, but if we just continue to put our money and our nose in other countries business, then we will be doomed. Only a fool does not learn from pass mistakes. I am so very glad that God and great adults in my life helped me stay on the right path. The ones who fell off the path, helped me also, by telling me that their life was hell. I learned and I am still learning.
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